RV Vacation Itinerary – Central California Lighthouses

Doesn’t the thought of rambling down the California coastline, photographing scenic lighthouses, have you yearning to break free from the day-to-day? Fortunately for those dreaming of just such a trip, RV rental makes the journey quite affordable. The time and effort you’ll save driving your temporary home down the coast makes a California lighthouse tour a great vacation option. Here’s just a sampling of the lighthouses you may want to visit on your RV journey along California’s central coastline.

Suggested California Lighthouse Itinerary

San Luis Obispo Light: Take the short drive south from the city of San Luis Obispo to the shore, where the San Luis Obispo Light began warning ships off the rocks in 1890. The lighthouse is now part of an historic preservation district, and is accessible only by guided hiking tour on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Book your tour reservation, and while you’re at it, book an RV campsite at Pismo Sands RV Park, right across San Luis Obispo Bay on Hwy

Point Pinos Light: Just up the coast is historic Point Pinos Lighthouse, built in 1855. Well-trained docents give tours and answer questions from those who quickly fall in love with this light with a colorful past. (Be sure to ask about the “Socialite Lighthouse Keeper”!)

Santa Cruz Light and Santa Cruz Breakwater Lighthouse: Two modern day lighthouses, constructed on historic foundations, are located on the north side of Monterey Bay. Santa Cruz Breakwater Light was constructed when the artistic citizens of Monterey wanted an aesthetic, rather than functional, lighthouse at the end of Atlantic Avenue. Beautiful, brick Santa Cruz Light now houses the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum. Be sure to see both lighthouses on your journey through Central California.

Pigeon Point Lighthouse: Before leaving the Monterey Bay Area, be sure to walk the rocky grounds around Pigeon Point Lighthouse. Currently awaiting repairs, it’s still a marvelous photo opportunity and trained staff on the grounds can fill you in on the light’s history. If you park your RV at Santa Cruz North KOA, you can wake up to a perfect view of Pigeon Point Light.

These six lighthouses and the surrounding beauty of the California coastline are more than enough to fill a week of RV camping. We’ll keep you posted on even more suggested California lighthouse tour itineraries, so keep checking back on the blog. In the meantime, visit our website at El Monte RV Rentals and see how affordable a California RV rental can be. You’re on the road to a marvelous time RV camping your way to California’s great lights